Paper clip and bookholder



Dec 1, 1925- 1.563.508

A/H. MAYNARD PAPER CLIP AND- BOOK HC'LDER Filed Nov. 28 1924 Patented Dec. 1, 1925..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. MAYNARD, OF WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON WIRE STITCHER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PAPER CLIP AND BOOKHOLDER.

Application filed November 28, 1924. Serial No. 752,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. MAYNARD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Warwick, in the county of Kent, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper Clips and Bookholders, of which the following is a specification.

I This invention relates to a rest or support for clipping and holding sheets of paper, and

also for use as a book-holder for supporting stenographers copy-books. The present in vention consists in improvements in the arrangement and construction of the device whereby to simplify its mechanism, to give it a neater and more finished appearance, and to provide for its economical manufacture to reduce the cost of production.

A particular object of the improvement is to provide a device of the type specified having a minimum number of parts which may be stamped out from sheet-metal and struck up into form without machining operations; and in which the parts may be assembled without machining or fitting and without requiring the use of screws, nuts or rivets.

, Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the device in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the device used as a paper-clip and holder and illustrating the manner of its operation in clipping the sheets on the support;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device showing it reversed in position and adapted to hold an open copy-book with the leaves thereof clipped together at the bottom;

Fig. f is a fragmentary view showing the construction of the end of one leg of the device and the manner of securing the wires of the connecting brace;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the end of the main leg of the device showing the means for joining the other leg thereto; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detailed view, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the present improved device comprises, essentially, two opposite members or legs 2 and 3 which are joined together at one end and disposed in angular relation, as shown most clearly in i Fig. 2. The main leg or member 2 constitutes a rest or panel on which strips or sheets of paper P may be placed to hold them raised and inclined from the desk or other support on which the holder rests. The panel 2 is preferably constructed of thin sheet-metal with its edges curled or rolled over to provide a rounded bead 4 along its margins which stifiens and reinforces the structure and gives it a neat and finished appearance. At one end of the plate or panel 2 the rolled over bead or edge 4 is continued inwardly in a curved lip 5, as shown in Fig. 6.

The cylindrical or curved lip 5 of the beaded edge of the panel 2 is adapted to serve as a fastening means for anchoring the opposite leg or support 3 of the device. The leg or member 3 also consists of a thin strip of sheet-metal bent into slightly arcuate form along its length, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. One end of the member 3 is made flat to adapt it to rest against the under side of the main leg or panel 2 as shown in Fig. 6. The terminal portion of this end of the leg or strip 3 is rolled or curled around at 7 to adapt it to be received within the rolled over lip 5 on the end of the leg or panel 2. The

joinder between the two. members is made .secure by crimping or compressing the rolled over lip 5 of the plate 2 snugly around the inner rolled end 7 of the plate 3, so that a substantially permanent union is effected between the parts.

The two divergent legs of the holder are connected by a brace or cross-strut 10 which normally tends to hold the members from springing apart, but permits their ends to be pressed together in the manner and for the purpose as hereinafter more particularly explained. The brace or cross-strut 1O preferably consists of two curved wire arms which are pivoted at one end to the leg 3 and adapted to slide through holes 11 pierced through the panel 2 at the top thereof. The ends of the wire arms 10 projecting through the holes 11 in the panel 2 are connected by a U-shaped loop 12 which is bent over to adapt it to rest substantially flat against the upper face of the panel 2. The hinges or pivot-joints between the arms 10 and the leg or member 3 are formed by bending the wire at right-angles to provide portions 14 adapted to be inserted through loops or cars struck up from the metal of the member 3. For this purpose the plate or member 3 is socketed or indented at points 16 adjacent its edges with strips of the metal sheared out and bowed upwardly to extend across the indentions, to form the cars 15 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings that the outer end of the leg 8 of the holder is adapted to rest on the desk or other support on which the device is placed to sustain the main leg or panel 2 inclined upwardly therefrom. To form a rest at this end of the leg or plate 3 the metal is curved or rolled around to provide a cylindrical bead or cross-bar 18. In order that the cross-bar or rest 18 may be held from slipping on the desk, table or other support it is preferable to provide it with rubber friction-rings or ferrules. For this purpose I may employ a circular band of rubber stretched over the ends of the cyl1ndrical cross-bar 18, the lateral edges of the leg 3 being slotted at 19, see Figs. 1 and at, to receive the rubber band. The friction-band or ferrule 20 may be conveniently formed cutting rings from a rubber tube, and preferably the rubber is ribbed or fluted on its exterior so that it will better grip the surface on which the device rests.

When the device is used as a paper-clip or holder for memoranda sheets and the like it is placed in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 with the forward edge of the panel 2 resting on the desk or other support at one end, and the rubber ferrules 20 engaging the top of the desk at the opposite end. The leg or member 3 will thus he substantially parallel with the surface on which the device rests, while the panel 2 will be inclined upwardly to hold the slips of paper raised above the'desk in convenient position for reference. The slips of paper P are placed on the holder and attached or clipped thereto by simply pressing them down against the anel 2 to spring the latter downwardly an raise the wire loop 12 under which the sheets are held. That is to say, the sheet or slip of paper P is merely laid across the panel 2 above the loop or clip 12 and a slight pressure of the fingers against the panel 2will cause the latter to swing down towards the leg or member 3, and meanwhile the wire arms 10 will slide up through the holes 11 at the top of the panel to retract and raise the loop or clip 12 above the paper. The clip 12 will thus slide back from under the paper and be raised to a position extending across the upper face thereof as shown in Fig. 2, whereby when the pressure of the fingers is released the panel will spring back again as shown in Fig. 1. This action causes the loop or clip 12 to be brought down againt the strips or sheets resting upon the panel 2 to clip or fasten them thereto so that they cannot be accidently dislodged or blown away. In this way the device provides a most convenient method of clipping and holding slips or sheets of paper, the action of securing the strips on the rest or panel 2 being automatic when the slips are pressed down against the panel.

When the device is to be used as a copybook holder the panel 2 is turned substantially upright, or slightly inclined to the perpendicular as shown in Fig. 3. The leg 3 will then assume the position of a brace, extending downwardly with its ferrules 20 resting on the desk to support the device in the manner of an easel. The copy-book C is opened and one of its covers laid across the front of the panel 2, the other cover depending in the rear with its lower edge resting against the desk or other support. The leaves L of the book overhanging the front of the panel 2 may be clipped together at the bottom by inserting them under the loop 12 formed by the extension of the arms 10, see Fig. 3. In this way the book is held with one 'of its pages exposed, and as the notes are copied therefrom the leaf may be slipped from under the clip and turned over on to the back of the holder in the usual manner. 7

It will be observed that the present device provides a most convenient office or desk appliance which may be used in several ways; as a memoranda holder, or as a rest or support for copy-books or other like reference matter. The particular features of improvement of-the present invention consist in the details of construction of the device whereby it assumes an especially neat and finished appearance, and wherein it is particularly adapted for economical methods of manufacture so that'it may be-produced at a relatively low cost. It will be noted from the above description that the improved construction of the device reduces it to its simplest form with practically only three parts, the sheet-metal members '2 and 3, and the inexpensive wire connecting brace 10 which also forms the paper-clip.

lVithout limiting myself to the exact details of construction of the device as herem shown and described, I claim:

1. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a sheet-metal panel having a rolled edge, a sheet-metal spri 'ig-leg joined at one end to the pannel with its edge held by the rolled edge thereof, and a brace ex tending between the leg and t'hepanel.

2. In a-paper-clip and book-holder, the combination of a sheet-metal panel having a rolled edge, a. sheet-metal spring-leg joined at one end to said panel with its edge held by the rolled edge thereof, and a brace extending between the panel and leg consisting in a wire loop having its ends inserted through ears on the leg.

with a rolled bead on its marginal edges, a

bowed spring-leg having its end joined LO the panel and held within the beaded edge thereof, said leg having ears slit from the metal and formed upwardly thereon, and a brace constructed of wire bent into a U- shaped loop adapted to rest across the face of the panel, the ends of the loop being bent around and inserted through holes in the panel to form arms having their ends bent at right-angles and pivoted in the cars on the legs.

l. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a panel, a sheet-metal springleg joined at one end to the panel and diverging therefrom with its opposite end rolled into a cylindrical cross-rest, rubber bands stretched around the ends of the cylindrical cross-rest, and a strut extending between the leg and the panel.

5. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a panel consisting of a strip of sheet-metal having its marginal edges rolled over to form a bead, a spring-leg comprising a strip of sheet-metal having its end rolled over and inserted Within the bead at one end of the panel, the opposite end of said leg being rolledinto a cylinder to provide a cross-rest, said leg being also formed with ears sheared from the metal and struck up 011 its face, and wire arms having bent over ends inserted through the ears on the leg and reaching up through openings in the panel and joined in a loop adapted to rest flat against the face of the panel and to be held in contact therewith by the spring action of the leg.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR H. MAYNARD. 

